Wire fence



(No Modeln) E. RUNE.

WIRE FENCE. No. 252,702.- Patented Jan. 24,1882.

WITNESSES: m f INVENTOE:

a/k G BY ATTORNEYS.

, and barbed plate being removed.

yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD RUANE, OF CENTRE RUTLAND, VERMONT.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Paf-.ent NQ. aaroa'datea January 24, Issa.

Application filed July 13, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom yit may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD RUAN1t,-ot` Centre Rutland, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Fences, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved connection for the barbed plates or wires of a metallic felice, and to an improvement in the construction of posts, affording means for more securely attaching the wires or plates to the said posts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation ofa portion of my improved barbed fence. Fig. VL) is a section of the fence taken on line x wot Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view ofthe post and clamping mechanism,tahen on lineyyof Fig.1. Figetis acrosssection of the bottom of the post and socket,

'taken on linezzof Fig.2. Figisaperspective view of the spring-crest. Figisasimilarview ot' a modification ot' the crest. Fig. 7 is a view of the lower end of one ofthe posts; and Fig.8 isadetail showing the end of-oneof theharbed plates. Fig. 9 is a front view ofthe clamping device shown in section in Fig. 3, the washers Fig. 10 isa front view of one of the washers.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Ordinarily wire felices are made with wooden posts, the strands of wire being secured to the posts by staples driven into the posts. invention the fence is made entirely of metal, the posts A A being of cast-iron and the wires or plates B B preferably ot` steel. Thev posts A A are preferably cast hollow, and with as many quadrangularvT-slotted chambers a a and through-slots or inward depressions a' a as there are to be strands of wire in the fence. In cross-section the posts will be in most cases round', and in outline they will be, by preference, in the form ot' an elongated ellipse, or tapering at both ends, the greatest diameter being at about/the surface ofthe ground when the posts are set, at which point I providethem with the flange c. In some instances that portion of my improved post which extends into the ground will be a plain cone of sufficient length to support the post firmly'. In other instances (to adapt the post for very loose soil) the bottom ofthe post will be formed with the By my.

blades or wings d d, and in still other instances the bottom of the post will be formed with the slot e and thel depression or way e for ,locking the post into the post-socket F, which socket is provided upon the inside with the stud or pin f", adapted to follow the depression or Way when the post is lowered into the socket'and to enter the slot e, as shown in Fig. 4. When the socket is used, ot' course the bottoni ofthe post will be a plain cone without the wings d d, and the socket may or may not be provided with the wings f'f, as desired.

The quadrangular T-slotted chambers a are cast on the sideot' the postA, asshown in Fig. 1, in which chambers the nutsl hh of the clamping-bolts H H are adapted to be placed, for holding thc plates or wires B B at the ends or at any point between the ends, the washers i t" being placed upon the bolts each side of the plates orwires, as shown in Fig. 3. The washer t" is provided with the iiange t for sheltering the plates and the washert' at the top.

Upon the back side of the washer t" is formed the stop j, which is of la size to just tit in the upper portion ofthe T slot in the quadrangular Tslotted chamber, and serves to guide the washer and prevent the nut h from turning in the chamber when the bolts H H are turned for clamping the wires. `Wl1en the bolts H H are screwed tightly against the wires and-wasliers lthe inner ends of them enter the slots or depressions a a in the posts, as shown in Fig. 3.

'lhe wires or plates B B, which, as above mentioned, are preferably of sfeel, are barbed upon the upper and lower edges thereof, which barbs are formed by cuttingdiagonally into the edges of the plates, and bending thepointed pieces of metal thus separated outwardly, so as to stand at about right angles to the main part of the plates. The ends otthe plates B B are divided for a suitable distance, as shown in Fig. S, so that the parts b b may be bent for attachment to theposts or to the crescentsteel, and they are for the purpose of accommodating the contraction and-expansion ofthe wires, thus relieving the posts of undue tension caused bythe contraction of the wires, and lessening the danger ofthe wires beingbrolien in very cold weather.

The ends f the springs E E may be divided,

IOO

as shown in Fig.5, so that the ends of the plates or wires may be placed in the slots and soldered therein or clinched, as shown in this iigure, or they may be formed with the short slots, g g, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the divided ends of the plates or wires may be passed through the slotsand clinched, and in that man ner secured to the springs.

Instead of forming the springs in the shape of ahaltcircle or crescent form, as shown in the drawings, it is obvious that they might be of any other form and not ydepart from the spirit of my invention; but the half-circle or crescent form is preferred, as in that form they are cheaply made and easily attached.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The hollow iron post A, formed With the quadrangular T-slotted chamber a, in combination with the bolt H and nut h, washersz' t',

and the barbed plate B, whereby the barbed .l plate B or wire is secured to the post, substantially as shown and described.

2. The post A, cast with the T-slotted chambers upon one side', in combination with the washers and z" and the bolt H and nut h, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The washer i', formed with the flange i", andthe stopj, in combination with vthe bolt H, nut h,'\vasher z', and the T-slotted chamber of the post, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

4. In a wire fence, the combination, with thc barbed wires or plates B, having split or divided ends, of the spring-crest E, having its ends split or divided, as shown and described.

EDWARD RUANE.

Witnesses:

` J oHN N. BAXTER,

JN0. A. SANFORD, THOMAS REILLY. 

